Qualifizierungsinitiative Oberflächentechnik: Angebot,Bedarf, Netzwerke

The current project “Knowledge Transfer Surface Technology”, which is realised on behalf of the German federal Ministry of Education and Research (BMBF) by the VDI Technology Center Duesseldorf, aims at the overcoming of innovation barriers non‐technical kind within the range of modern surface technology in particular with (small and medium‐sized) enterprises. Part of the project is a qualification initiative on surface technology. It concerns first to make the specialized educational offers more accessible, to determine the qualification need as well as conceive qualification networks and give appropriate suggestions. Results are transported and spread to interested persons by conferences, over an InterNet portal as well as by means of intensive public relations and a series of publications on knowledge transfer surface technology. In the sense of strategic alliances, numerous partners and institutes with relevant authority are included into the activities, assigned partial analyses as well as obtained for specialized meetings.     

Einsatztiefe der Industriellen Plasma‐ Oberflächentechnik im Maschinen‐ und Anlagenbau

The following article summarizes the main results of a market study about the use of Industrial Plasma‐Surface Treatment (IPS) in the German machinery and plant manufacturing branch conducted by the VDMA surface technology group. The results of the survey verify that during the past 20 years plasma‐based processes have become a state‐of‐the‐art technology. Today, more than 50 % of companies in the machinery and plant manufacturing industry employ IPS. Most of them prefer surface treatment of their products on a job coating basis. Merely some of the large suppliers have already acquired coating machines. The technology is particularly popular with manufacturers of precision tools and printing and paper equipment. The dominating argument for using plasma‐supported surface treatment within all segments of machine and plant construction is wearing protection of highly stressed tools. Other advantages of the technology are reduction of friction and the protection of metal against corrosion. At present a higher diffusion rate of IPS into the markets seems to be limited due to high costs and a qualification lag in the potential application sectors. Continuing public relation campains by suppliers, policy and assosications will achieve an improved level of utilisation in the near future.     

Reliability qualification of semiconductor devices based on physics‐of‐failure and risk and opportunity assessment

Qualification frequently is a time‐critical activity at the end of a development project. As time‐to‐market is a competitive issue, the most efficient qualification efforts are of interest. A concept is outlined, which proactively integrates qualification into the development process and provides a systematic procedure as a support tool to development and gives early focus on required activities. It converts requirements for a product into measures of development and qualification in combination with a risk and opportunity assessment step and accompanies the development process as a guiding and recording tool for advanced quality planning and confirmation. The collected data enlarge the knowledge database for DFR/BIR (designing for reliability/building‐in reliability) to be used for future projects. The procedure challenges and promotes teamwork of all the disciplines involved. Based on the physics‐of‐failure concept the reliability qualification methodology is re‐arranged with regard to the relationships between design, technology, manufacturing and the different product life phases at use conditions. It makes use of the physics‐of‐failure concept by considering the potential individual failure mechanisms and relates most of the reliability aspects to the technology rather than to the individual product design. Evaluation of complex products using common reliability models and the definition of sample sizes with respect to systematic inherent product properties and fractions of defects are discussed. Copyright © 2002 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Anwendungsfelder moderner Oberflächentechnik bei Anbietern oberflächentechnologischer Dienstleistungen

Concerning the transfer of results from research and development into commercial business practice for small and middle sized enterprises, offering surface‐technological services, the situation is generally better than aspected. This is the conclusion arrived at by the Institut for knowledge transfer at the University of Bremen (IfW) after carrying out a random analysis of the enterprises offering surface technology services. The study is a component of the project “Technology transfer surface technology”, which is accomplished on behalf the Federal Ministry for education and research (BMBF) by the VDI Technologiezentrum. Two thirds of the enterprises asked plan to introduce new procedures or modernize and/or supplement existing procedures in the next two years. All the same one third plans on top of this to use new layer materials. At present the situation regarding the application of modern surface technology, shows that the correct application of the surface and layer technologies bears fruits. The degree to which thermal spraying and the PVD and CVD techniques are applied has increased. Old procedures are rapidly being displaced by innovative and more pollution free procedures – especially in the field of thermal treatment. The technological developments planned for the next two years by the enterprises asked show that the degree with which the technologies specified above are spreading will continue to increase. Also the predication as to, which industries will be ranked in the future as important customers of the surface‐technological services, is changing. While the enterprises evaluate the situation toke restrained in the electro‐technology and electronics industry. An increased demand from air and space industry is expected. Moreover a clear increase in the paper and graphic arts industry is predicted.     

Bedarf an Qualifizierungsmaßnahmen aus Sicht der Großindustrie in der Oberflächentechnik

Future‐oriented quality production in the surface technology requires more than the accurate fulfilment of the customer requirements. In the external customer‐supplier relationships the co‐workers of large enterprises are increasingly in demand as advisors for their customers, they regularly take part in the product development phase at the customer contribution their know‐how in order to ensure the optimal conditions for the surface treatment. Because of this the importance of social and methodical skills is increasing for technological, technical and high‐level personnel. Personal with these qualifications are hard to find in the job market. The enterprises specialising in surface‐technological services are not even able to cover their needs at a purely technical know‐how level. The consequence: “We have to train the people ourselves”. Training activities initiated by the enterprises are becoming more important parallel to this more is being invested in public relations work and advertising. This conclusion was arrived at after carrying out a analysis of the future training requirements for the large‐scale industry on the basis of four case studies in the mechanical engineering, chemistry, steel industry and automotive industry. The analysis of these case studies is supplemented and rounded off by the postal questioning of a further 28 large‐scale enterprises. The investigation was carried out by the Institute for knowledge transfer at the University of Bremen (IfW) on behalf of the Federal Ministry for education and research (BMBF) by the VDI Technologiezentrum and is a component of the project “Technology transfer surface technology”.     

Fluor‐Kohlenstoff‐Nanoschichten zur gezielten Oberflächenfunktionalisierung. Fluorine‐Carbon Nano Coatings for Specific Surface Functionalization

This article concerns some aspects of the research and development work, which is done within a project of the German Federal Ministry of Education and Research (BMBF) entitled: “nano functionalization of interfaces for data‐, textile‐, building‐, medicine‐, bio‐, and aerospace‐ technology”. In the following the broad field of applications of a surface modification on a nanometer scale is discussed. Also some scientific methods to characterize surface modifications of this kind are discussed. By means of low pressure plasma technology it is possible to functionalize surfaces and thus to well adjust their properties with respect to their application. This is done without changing the bulk material characteristics. The surfaces of the treated workpieces are covered by an ultrathin, i.e. only a few nanometer thick, fluorine‐carbon polymer layer by a plasma process. The physical and chemical surface properties, such as surface energy, roughness (on nanometer scale), dynamic wetting behaviour, or the adhesion properties against other materials, can be simple changed by varying the plasma process parameters. It is shown, that in future this surface modification will meet a broad field of applications.     

Modern reliability assurance of integrated circuits—A strategy based on technology capability assessment and production reproducibility control

Technological innovations provide integrated circuits of increased functionality and complexity, and modern design tools facilitate a new multiplicity of products, such as application-specific products (ASICs). Traditional qualification procedures cannot keep pace with this evolution with respect to requirements of product reliability, ability of qualifying the multiplicity of future products, and market demands for saving cost and time. A further development of a reliability assurance concept, which will be discussed here, considers design tools, basic product elements, materials, manufacturing process and controls as a ‘system’, which has to be qualified with respect to the consistency and efficiency of all of the implemented reliability assurance measures. The concept is based on the manufacturer's ‘system’ knowledge and responsibility. It is compatible with the relevant requirements of ISO 9000 and recent military standard proposals. The procedure is applied to commercial products. The main part of this concept is the qualification of the manufacturing technology. The procedure is organized as a continuous process starting at the concept phase of a new technology and its pilot product. The various steps then follow the development, the pre-series and series production phases. The reliability aspects concentrate on the physical properties of product elements relevant to their stability and endurance, i.e. the potential failure mechanisms and their root causes as reliability risks. Thus a major part of reliability testing for the qualification of the pilot product of a new technology can be performed without the use of the final product version. The benefits derivable from this approach are savings in time and cost as well as the capability to handle future product multiplicity.     

Bioinspired Surfaces with Superwettability for Anti‐Icing and Ice‐Phobic Application: Concept,Mechanism, and Design

Ice accumulation poses a series of severe issues in daily life. Inspired by the nature, superwettability surfaces have attracted great interests from fundamental research to anti‐icing and ice‐phobic applications. Here, recently published literature about the mechanism of ice prevention is reviewed, with a focus on the anti‐icing and ice‐phobic mechanisms, encompassing the behavior of condensate microdrops on the surface, wetting, ice nucleation, and freezing. Then, a detailed account of the innovative fabrication and fundamental research of anti‐icing materials with special wettability is summarized with a focus on recent progresses including low‐surface energy coatings and liquid‐infused layered coatings. Finally, special attention is paid to a discussion about advantages and disadvantages of the technologies, as well as factors that affect the anti‐icing and ice‐phobic efficiency. Outlooks and the challenges for future development of the anti‐icing and ice‐phobic technology are presented and discussed.     

Maßgeschneiderte Tribologie durch Laseroberflächenbehandlung

Tailored tribology by laser surface treatment There are quite different requirements for tribological properties of surfaces in industry. Both reduction and maximization of friction and/or wear are possible requirements. The friction and wear properties depend on the tribological system consisting of the friction partners, the medium between them and the environment around them. So for each application tailored surfaces with special tribological properties are needed. In the paper examples are presented which deal with the investigation and the implementation of laser based processes to obtain surfaces with very different tribological properties. Wavelengths, output power values, intensity distributions and beam qualities of the available lasers vary in a wide range. Also the available devices for beam formation and beam guidance enable special processes for tailoring properties for particular applications. These processes are for example the single‐layered or multi‐layered laser cladding generating homogeneous or graded claddings, the laser alloying or laser dispersing and the laser stimulated deposition of diamond layers at atmospheric pressure.     

Plasmachemische Mikrostrukturierung von polymeren Oberflächen für Pharmazie und medizinische Diagnostik

The plasma masking technology is a method applied to get locally selective, physical‐chemical structuring on nearly all plastic surfaces in the micrometer range. Such generated chemically functionalised, polymer‐based surface structures are suited for use as biochips and will promote the application of low priced polymer materials with appropriate modified surfaces. Provided with a biochemical treatment for analytical methods, they are used in medical diagnostics and pharmaceutical drug research. This technique supports the increasing application of high throughput screening systems (HTS) including micro arrays for genomics and proteomics as well as the development of cell biochips.     

Datensammlung Betriebsfestigkeit – Zuverlässigkeit von Lebensdauerabschätzungen

Data Pool Structural Integrity – Reliability of Lifetime Prediction Methods After the german reunification Professor Harald Zenner initiated and promoted several research projects which were aimed to mantain the bulk of available experimental results and to preserve the know‐how grown in both german countries. So it could be saved for future use. Here the IMAB (Institute of Plant Engineering and Fatigue Analysis) of Clausthal Technical University (TUC) and the Institute of Solid State Mechanics of TU Dresden (TUD) cooperated in two investigations ‐“Lifetime‐prediction I and II”. This resulted in the “Data Pool Operational Strength DABEF” and in a profound statistical analysis on reliability of service life estimations. Herein the influence of the counting method could be separated from that of the damage accumulation hypothesis. Deriving subgroups from the sample it became possible to define modulation factors for allowable stress. Besides this the data collection serves as a basis of further investigations which resulted in a postdoctoral qualification and several graduation works. Last but not least the findings of the statistical analysis expanded into the design code “Computational proof of strength” of the german Research Comittee Engineering (FKM).     

IT治理与我国高校信息化建设

随着我国高校信息化建设在基础设施方面取得的飞速发展,也暴露了大量应用和管理方面的问题。只有通过IT治理把高校信息化建设和高校的使命、战略目标有机地结合起来,保证信息化建设项目的可控可见,平衡信息技术和过程的风险,才能把信息技术资源转化为高校的一种优势资源。     

Holzoberflächenmodifikation mittels Atmosphärendruckplasma

Plasma surface modification of wood and wood‐based materials In this article, plasma technical, analytical and application relevant aspects of the plasma treatment of wood and wood‐based materials are presented. With the help of surface energy determinations and adhesion tests it is shown that the surfaces of wood and wood‐based materials can be changed for specific applications. Surface characteristics, which are application‐technological interesting for a later coating or adhesion, can be specifically generated with the use of air plasma. With surface energy determinations of wood and wood‐based materials, a significantly increased polar part of surface energy could be detected after a plasma treatment. Atomic force microscopy analyses of wood composites show that a plasma treatment with the use of ambient air effects an abrasion and a changed surface roughness. Tensile tests and shear tests of coated or adhered wood‐based materials with a plasma treatment show a clearly increased adherence.     

Mikrowellen‐PECVD für kontinuierliche Großflächenbeschichtung bei Atmosphärendruck

Microwave PECVD for continuous wide area coating at atmospheric pressure Plasma processes are applied for a variety of surface modifications. Examples are coatings to achieve an improved corrosion and scratch protection, or surface cleaning. Normally, these processes are vacuum based and therefore suitable to only a limited extend for large area industrial applications. By use of atmospheric pressure plasma technology integration in continuously working manufacturing lines is advantageously combined with lower costs and higher throughput. Microwave plasma sources present powerful modules for plasma enhanced chemical vapour deposition at atmospheric pressure. At Fraunhofer IWS processes and equipment as well as application specific materials are developed. The coatings are suitable for scratch resistant surfaces, barrier and corrosion protective layers or anti‐reflex layers on solar cells. The film properties achieved are comparable with those produced by low pressure processes.     

Betriebsfestigkeit und Zuverlässigkeit von komplexen und intelligenten Strukturen

Structural Durability and Reliability of Complex and Intelligent Structures Structural durability of a product is achieved only by careful design, taking into account the different aspects of the required mission profile with regard to component strength. In order to include all effects on component strength (like material, manufacturing, local geometry, scatter) on one hand, and to meet competition requirements on the other hand, the design engineer has to apply efficient methods for guaranteeing service durability. A brief overview over these methods is presented. Today`s developments are focusing on the reduction of time‐to‐market periods. This fact is putting more emphasis on numerical methods (simulations of dynamic system behaviour, of component properties and local stresses) in order to reduce experimental procedures of optimizing and proof. The mechanical components of future mechanical engineering constructions are increasingly being replaced by electric and even multifunctional components. Electronics are gaining influence which is reflected by current keywords like brake or steer‐by‐wire technology. Knowledge of the system behaviour as well as all interactions between electronical control and mechanical behaviour are absolutely imperative to assess the reliability of such approaches.     

Exploring patent performance and technology interactions of universities, industries, governments and individuals

In the era of the fast-paced knowledge economy, patent data may be analyzed to measure technological competitiveness. This paper aims to explore patent performance by indicators and technology interactions based on patent citation of assignee types. This study involved four types of patent assignees (i.e. universities, industries, governments, and individuals) in five technological fields (i.e. computers and communications; drugs and medical; electrical and electronics; chemical; and mechanical) over three periods (i.e. 1997–2001, 2002–2006, and 2007–2011). Four indicators were chosen for analysis of patent performance; they included, patent share, science linkage, current impact index, and citation density. The findings of this study show that among all four assignee types, industries had the highest patent productivity in all fields, and universities had the highest impact in all fields except for drugs and medical. Other interesting phenomena were also observed. Examples include reciprocal technology interactions between universities and governments; low technology interactions of industries in each field; individuals’ higher patent performance and technology interactions in the field of drugs and medical.     

Beschichten,Reparieren und Generieren durch Präzisions‐Auftragschweißen mit Laserstrahlen

Laser beam build‐up welding belongs to the technical group of thermal coating. With a coating thickness between 0.1 and 3 mm it is positioned close to PTA and TIG cladding. The special features consist in the excellent controllability of the cladding process, high precision of the material deposition, low thermal influence on the workpiece and low base material mixing, the absence of mechanical effects on the melt pool as well as the large number of coating and substrate materials available for the manufacturing process. Currently, the most important application is the repair of complex shaped and expensive components and tools. Examples are wear damaged moulds, metal forming dies, or aircraft engine components, which original properties can be completely restored by accurate and local replacement of the lost material. In the field of surface protection, laser technology offers advanced solutions for the surface modification of light alloys. Components of Ti, Al or Mg alloys can be protected effectively against wear and corrosion by laser cladding, alloying, and hard particle dispersing. Generating of metal Prototypes by CNC controlled Direct Metal Deposition is a further application of the laser technique. Using this method, mould inserts, active parts of tools, or engine components can be generated directly from the 3D CAD data.     

Untersuchung der Verteilung und Intensität filamentierter Barrierenplasmen für die Behandlung von Oberflächen

The application of barrier discharges at atmospheric pressure in air expands on the market of plasma technology, because it is an ecological and cost‐effective alternative to other processes of surface treatment. These plasmas usually consist of a multitude of spatially and temporally localized filaments, whose distribution should be as even as possible for homogeneous treatment. This holds especially for the plasma treatment of sensitive goods such as wool or other textiles. In equipment for continuous pass of material the barrier arrangements often consist of a system cylinder – cylinder or cylinder – plane, whereby the gap width changes locally. Space distribution and intensity of filaments has been investigated by means of short‐time photography and spatially resolved measurement of current distribution and energy distribution derived from it. The local dependency found can be explained by means of a capacitive equivalent circuit.     

Kalte Normaldruck‐Jetplasmen zur lokalen Oberflächenbehandlung

Cold non‐thermal plasma jets for local surface treatment under normal pressure Plasmas at normal pressure are of considerable interest for surface technology because the industrial application requires no vacuum devices. Among other approaches, cold non‐thermal plasma jets represent an emerging technique to generate plasmas at normal pressure with attractive advantages. They allow ambient process temperatures and require only moderate operating voltages (1.5‐2.5 kV). They offer the advantage that the treated surfaces are not placed between the electrodes thus favoring local treatment of non flat, structured 3D surfaces. Moreover, the dimension of the sources is scalable and their integration into automated processes is simple. A capacitively coupled version (27.12 MHz) of a cold plasma jet suitable for surface treatment at atmospheric pressure is presented along with its plasma physical and technical properties and a series of successful applications, including plasma activation of surfaces for increasing printability, adhesion control, surface cleaning, microfluidics, decontamination, its use in plasmamedicine and for deposition of thin SiO₂ films as protective coatings. The device allows the operation with rare gases (e.g. Ar) and reactive gases as N₂, air or admixtures of silicon‐containing compounds.     

Wissenstransfer Oberflächentechnik

Knowledge Transfer in Surface Technology »Wissenstransfer Oberflächentechnik« (knowledge transfer in surface technology) aims at existing and expected potentials of modern surface technology for the german economy. The main goals are knowledge transfer, acceleration of innovation and growth of competitiveness and technological performance capability. The target group mainly consists of Small and Medium Enterprises orientated to innovation. This initiative is untertaken by the VDI‐Technology Center Düsseldorf on behalf of the German Ministery of Education and Research. Preliminary results are already available.